The future regeneration of a rundown part of Inverness has been thrown into doubt after proposals to create a multimillion-pound student quarter were rejected by the Scottish Government.
Inverness Properties’s plans for four huge blocks of flats at Rose Street would have brought around 380 student beds to the city at a time when an influx of scholars to the new University of the Highlands and Islands is being predicted.
But now the company says it will go back to the drawing board to work with planners to create a new vision for the area.
Inverness Properties’ proposals for the central site, next to the Rose Street Car Park and Farraline Park bus station, was for four blocks of flats – including one which was eight storeys high.
The designs also included a public square linking Farraline Park with Academy Street.
But the company’s application for three of the blocks has been rejected on appeal to the Scottish Government’s reporter.
The fourth block – six-storeys-high with 105 bedrooms – was approved last year.
In a newly published ruling, reporter David Liddell said that while the proposal would create a more welcoming pedestrian link, the flats would be “incongruous” and “significantly out of proportion with the surrounding townscape”.
Mr Liddell, who visited the city as part of his deliberations, also said that the company had tried to integrate the roofs of the buildings into the townscape but added the flats would have an “adverse impact” on views from the other side of the river, on Huntly Street.
Mr Liddell also rejected Inverness Properties claim for the council to pay expenses.
A spokesman for Inverness Properties said: “We are reviewing the decision.
“Obviously we are disappointed but we are looking forward to working with the planning authority to come up with a fresh scheme.
“The reporter has given a good steer and we want to stock and discuss it with the planning authority.”
At their meeting in April this year, councillors at the south planning applications committee said that the scheme was too big and badly designed.
Yesterday one of the councillors who argued for the plans to be rejected said that the reporter’s decision vindicated the council.
Richard Laird, Inverness Central, said: “I hope that the landowner, developer, UHI and the council planning service can get their heads together and come up with an application that gets the most out of this site.
“I support the student hub in principle but this was not the right application for the site.”